The Beginnings of Hope
by jade silvertounge
Summary: "But when Estel was only twenty years of age, it chanced that he returned to Rivendell after great deeds in the company of the sons of Elrond…"  Appendix A  A simple hunting trip with Legolas and his brothers results in more than Estel imagined...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** I had been planning on taking this in a completely different direction, but of course once I started the plot ran away from me, I ran into a brick wall called writers block, and became obsessed with the Chronicles of Narnia before finally remembering that this story was still in my computer, begging me to finish it. *sigh* No one will probably read the author's note (I never do—sorry!) but I hope that my little spots of 'humor' (in the story and out of it) actually make people laugh..

**Characters:** Your favorite elves and human of course!

**Plot: **"But when Estel was only twenty years of age, it chanced that he returned to Rivendell after great deeds in the company of the sons of Elrond…" (Appendix A) A simple hunting trip with Legolas and his brothers results in more than Estel thought was possible…

THE BEGINNINGS OF HOPE

Rivendell was quiet. Far too quiet for a place usually overflowing with elven songs and laughter. It had snowed earlier that morn, and many of the elves were enjoying the first day of the long winter months in peace and quiet, in the coziness of their rooms. Yule was within the fortnight, and the place would soon resound with the sounds of celebration, but for now, the snow simply muffled the elves' already noiseless movements.

The young man the elves called Estel smiled, remembering his first snow in Rivendell, and how eerie the quiet had first seemed. As he had grown older, he had used the snow to his full advantage, finally able to sneak up on his elvish brothers. At any other time, his heavy human footsteps would have given him away, but on the first snow… Of course, he was far too old for such silly tricks now. He was nearly twenty years old, a man in the world of men, though he would always be a child in the eyes of elves. His brothers, Elladan and Elrohir, would tell him that man or not, one was never too old to pull a prank, but then, they were both young for elves, despite the fact that they were renowned warriors.

Estel continued to wander about in the snowy solitude. He frowned. To be completely truthful, he had not seen his adopted brothers in quite some time, himself just coming back from visiting his mother. Their presence was soon made known, however, in the form of a large icy snowball that slammed precisely into his ear, followed by the bell-like sound of laughter. Turning as quickly as possible, Estel scooped up a fistful of the wet snow and threw it in the direction of the laughter. He hit nothing but a tree, standing innocently in the garden. Estel eyed the branches suspiciously. His brothers were very good at climbing.

"I know you are up there," he called sternly to the brothers who had raised him. Two lithe elven forms quickly fell from the branches, their laughter echoing in the quiet garden. "Just because you are a warrior now does not mean you must be stern and noble all the time!" called the taller twin, Elladan. "It is almost Yuletide!" cried the other. Estel frowned, crossing his arms across his broad chest as he glared at the two grinning dark-haired brothers. "What-" he began, before something heavy and warm slammed into his back, causing him to fall face forward into the snow. He gave a muffled cry and turned over to see a blonde-haired elf perched on top of him. "Legolas!" he said happily. The prince gave a mischievous smile and proceeded to shove a fistful of snow into Estel's face. Growling good-naturedly, Estel began to squirm, trying to push the stubborn elf off of him.

Legolas smiled mockingly. "This is no way to greet one of your best friends," he admonished. "Especially a friend who has traveled far to bring you such good news." Estel gave a yelp of delight, all his efforts forgotten. "Your ada agreed?" he asked, excitement in his voice. Elladan and Elrohir walked into his viewpoint. "Of course he agreed," said Elladan, puffing out his chest pompously. "We are two of the best warriors in the land, and even the king has to admit that Legolas is his best archer."

"Big head," Estel muttered, before finally pushing the blond prince off of his chest and into Elladan. "Hey!" Elladan cried as he fell into the snow. Elrohir let out another peal of laughter. "Mighty warrior indeed!" Within moments, the entire situation had dissolved into and all out snowball fight, with Estel losing the entire time. He did not begrudge the elves the fact that they were lighter and faster, sometimes walking upon the snow, but used his every sense to hurl snow at the approaching form of his friends.

**This is just the prologue/ set up—more action and 'brotherly love' later! Please read and review! (Although you probably already read it if you are looking at this…)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** I hope the characters are staying true to themselves…. Whatever self they choose-fanfiction, movie, book…

**Characters:** Your favorite elves and human of course!

**Plot: **"But when Estel was only twenty years of age, it chanced that he returned to Rivendell after great deeds in the company of the sons of Elrond…" (Appendix A) A simple hunting trip with Legolas and his brothers results in more than Estel thought was possible…

THE BEGINNINGS OF HOPE (Chapter Two)

Master Elrond was sorely displeased at this display of childish behavior. "King Thurandil and I have finally agreed to let you take Estel on a month long hunting trip, and allow Legolas to stay over Yuletide season, and yet the first thing you do upon seeing each other is proceed to give the human a cold." They were all standing, sopping wet, in Elrond's study, after Estel had sneezed so violently that Legolas had immediately climbed a tree, looking for the threat. Estel supposed that was what happened when you lived under the Shadow in the East for so long, but it had still caused a fair amount of laughter. Elrond was brewing tea in the corner of the study, in order to treat the cold. "I trust Elladan and Elrohir as two of the best orc- fighters I have, and I trust Legolas and his skills as an archer completely, but it seems as though when the four of you meet, you insist on acting as young as possible."

"But Ada," Estel said reasonably. "Surely you realize that when it is important, we will not act in such a way. We have all been trained as warriors, but even fighters must take a break." Elrond smiled at the boy who had become a third son to him. "Yes, I trust you Estel, I just worry." Estel smiled.

Legolas stepped forward, most likely to soothe the worried father. "We have been on many such trips before, just never in the winter. And despite his human frailties, Estel is just as strong and sure as the rest of us, though a good deal younger." He could not resist making the last jab at Estel, who had always complained of his age when his was younger and 'Dan' and 'Ro' got to do all the fun things. Elrond sighed. "You are dismissed." The four left, the door closing behind them, but Elrond could still hear the sounds of a scuffle coming from the hallway.

Yuletide passed quickly, with the elven celebrations making the time speed up. Spring came, bright and clear, and all the animals began to emerge from their warm winter habitats. When the morning of the hunt dawned, Estel awoke with an excitement that reminded Elrond of the bouncing toddler who had arrived at his house a short eighteen years ago. He pushed away the surge of sadness that accompanied this memory—humans were so short lived. It had taken Elladan and Elrohir nearly a century of training before they were allowed out by themselves, but Elrond was forced to admit that Estel was and adult in the world of men. Upon seeing Elrond, Estel's expression changed from boyish excitement to the countenance of a seasoned warrior. Elrond smiled to himself at the change. His son, though a formidable warrior, was still not quite the adult he wanted to be, and Elrond hoped he would keep that elven light in his eyes.

On the other hand, it seemed his twin children still needed to grow up, considering they were still arguing over whose idea it was to throw mud at Estel as they skipped lightly down the stairs. Legolas entered from his guest room, and strapped his bow and arrow to his back. He rolled his eyes as the twins came in. "Truthfully, if you do not stop arguing I will throw you both off the nearest cliff I see!" he said with irritation in his voice. The twins both turned and glared haughtily at the prince. Estel stepped forward brightly. "I believe it is time to leave," he said. Both Legolas and the twins turned their glares towards him. Estel merely gazed back calmly—he had endured much worse from Elrond. Within the next few minutes, they were all mounted on their horses, and their saddlebags were all filled. Elrond was standing in the stable in order to see them off. "Make sure you are careful—I do not think there will be orcs this far into middle earth, but you never know what dangers there may be. "

"Come Ada," Elladan said cheerfully, his earlier irritation forgotten. "We have always been careful before."

"And yet every time you arrive back in Rivendell, I must heal you from your injuries, which happen to be numerous."

Legolas simply laughed. "We just have bad luck."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note**: Alright, this is where the fun actually starts! (Sort of)

**Characters:** Your favorite elves and human of course!

**Plot: **"But when Estel was only twenty years of age, it chanced that he returned to Rivendell after great deeds in the company of the sons of Elrond…" (Appendix A) A simple hunting trip with Legolas and his brothers results in more than Estel thought was possible…

THE BEGINNINGS OF HOPE (Chapter Three)

They had been camping for nearly two days, and had failed to catch anything but rabbits. Ellladan was quick to blame the lack of prey on Estel. "Your heavy human footsteps are scaring the deer away!" At this point, he began banging his feet on the soft springy grass, trying to imitate thudding feet.

Estel was quick to counter back. "And yet, every time I go on a short hunting trip on my own, I manage to at least bring down a deer within the first few days." Elladan turned to his brother for support. "He's implying that _we're _the ones who are the problem." Elrohir gave an impish grin. "Not _you _Elladan, the greatest warrior who ever lived. Surely the greatest warrior has to be one of the greatest hunters too. "

Elladan turned away in exasperation. "Fine. I see who the favorite brother is."

Estel grinned at this proclamation. Everyone in Rivendell knew it was physically impossible to separate the twins. "Of course I'm the favorite!" Estel exclaimed. "Even Legolas agrees!" They all turned to the usually cheerful prince, expecting him to make a remark. Instead they found him looking uneasily into the bustling spring woods. Seeing the elf's tense posture, the three brothers immediately stood. The forest was full of teeming wildlife, but Legolas, being accustomed to living in a forest, must have sensed something. "The trees…" he said softly. The other three waited patiently. "They tell me that it is not us that scare away the animals, but the humans."

"Humans?" Estel asked so quietly that only the elves could hear him. "Humans don't travel this far into the wilderness, unless they are lone hunters."

"Or Rangers," Elrohir murmured. Estel gave him a curious glance, never having heard that name. Elrohir ignored the look and continued. "How many are there?"

Legolas frowned in concentration. "They tell me that the group is large, and heavily armed. They travel without respect for the forest, chopping down tree branches and causing disarray. The places they pass are silent for days."

Elladan looked uneasy at this ominous pronouncement. "Do you know where they are?" Legolas pressed his hand against the large oak tree in front of him. "They are heading for the nearest human village, about a day's walk from here, all heavily armed. "

Elladan turned to Elrohir. "If they mean harm to the village, Ada would want us to warn them."

Legolas gave the brothers an incredulous look. "Many of those villagers do not believe elves to be much better than a band of armed humans! You know the mistrust of Elves that is carried like a disease throughout this land."

Elrohir looked down. "If these men cause trouble, we will never forgive ourselves."

Legolas turned. "But you have not even seen them! They could simply be a large hunting party heading home." At this point, Estel, knowing the stubbornness of all three elves, stepped forward. "I have an idea to offer," he said quietly. The three elves turned towards him. Despite the fact that he was no longer a child, the penetrating gaze of the centuries older elves still made him slightly uncomfortable, but he pushed forward. "I am human, after all. I can go to the village as a lone hunter, and if need be, warn them of the danger, while you follow the men and see who they are. Riding, I should be able to make it to the village in half a day and you can follow the men on foot, calling your horses when you need them." Silence reigned.

"It is a good idea," Legolas admitted finally. Elladan turned towards Estel with a fierce glare. "It is a good idea, but if anything happens—anything at all—you must leave the village. You need to be extremely careful-humans are not as accepting of people's differences as Elves are." Estel nodded nervously under his brother's fierce glare. Elrohir stepped forward. "Estel, we will meet you outside the village when the time comes. If it looks as though there will be a fight, do not get involved .If you must contact us, send Windfeather," he said, naming Estel's horse. "If everything goes well, this will simply be a day long detour."

Estel looked incredulous. "Not fight? Do you really expect me to not fight? I may be a child in your eyes, but not in men's. I will try to stay out of trouble, but I will not stand to the side. And if I want to get ahead of these men, I must start now." He turned and abruptly began saddling his horse. It looked as though Elrohir wanted to argue further, but at the gentle touch of Legolas, he turned to his own horse as well. He began to murmur to him in Elvish, telling him to stay outside they village with the other horses until they were needed. Meanwhile, Estel was leaping upon his own horse and checking his weapons with practiced movements. Elrohir patted Estel's leg. "Stay safe, little brother, and if you so something stupid, I'm afraid we will have to prank you as often as possible."

"I shudder at the thought," Estel said dramatically. He gave a goodbye salute to Elladan and Legolas, the former of whom was still glaring fiercly, and galloped away.

**Yay! Big deeds and a Hero Complex! Who knows what could happen...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note**: So, Lord of the Rings (The Two Towers) was one the other night and sort of fed my obsession with Legolas (and Orlando Bloom of course!) but I still think the books are ten times better. Hopefully this obsession can help me finish this story—I have more chapters on hold than I can count!

**Characters:** Your favorite elves and human of course!

**Plot: **"But when Estel was only twenty years of age, it chanced that he returned to Rivendell after great deeds in the company of the sons of Elrond…" (Appendix A) A simple hunting trip with Legolas and his brothers results in more than Estel thought was possible…

THE BEGINNINGS OF HOPE (Chapter Four)

The ride to the village was uneventful, but Estel's nervousness increased. He did not interact much with humans, and the last time he had been inside a human village, they had chased him away upon seeing his healing skills. The villagers were very mistrusting of anyone with 'magic' abilities, though Estel was simply a good healer. Though the villages around Rivendell were friendly, he had heard many stories of the way suspicious villagers treated creatures such as elves. Legolas and the twins had more than one experience with superstitious villagers, and this entire prospect made all the friends uneasy. So when Estel approached the village, it was with caution.

The gate warden cast an appraising eye over his weapons as he entered the village and asked for the nearest inn. The village was rather small, and there was only one inn that Estel was quickly directed towards. He had been riding for nearly half a day, and he was glad to give his horse a rest in the stables. It was now nighttime, and so he entered the inn (which also seemed to be the local tavern) to see a quiet nighttime scene. Every man in the tavern turned to look at him as he walked in. He hid his uneasiness under amusement. "You need not look at me—I am nothing special." He said this with a confident laugh, trying to set the men at ease. The conversation gradually started again, and Estel sat down and ordered a beer.

The barkeeper looked at the confident young man with the build of a warrior and asked nonchalantly "Aren't from around here, are ya?" Estel immediately took on a less cultured accent. "Aye, I decided to go to new hunting ground this year, though there does not seem to be any large prey around. Since I wasn't having any success, I decided to stop by for some beer and company." He tried to keep his story as simple as possible.

"No deer?" asked the pleasant looking man next to him. "Why, they were plentiful just last week. This is worrying." Estel smiled. This conversation was going in exactly the direction he wanted it too. "Well, I did see a large group of rather unpleasant looking men whom I gave a wide berth. I fear they must have scared all the game away," he replied amiably. The pleasant looking man frowned. "Indeed, it is worrying. What is your name, stranger?" Estel scrambled for something to say, finally deciding to go with his real name. "My friends call me Estel," he said with a nod. The other man nodded back. "I am Emmet, the town butcher." He looked as though he wished to say more, the man on the other side of Estel rudely interrupted.

"Estel—I have never heard that name before," he said with a suspicious glint in his eyes. Estel looked at the suspicious man. "Indeed, it is not a common name, and it is Northern by origin. It is a family name." The man still looked suspicious, but it was Emmet's turn to interrupt. "Honestly, Soren, I think the group of unpleasant looking strangers is more important than the man's name." Estel could feel an audience gathering behind them. "Strangers?" asked one tall looking man. "Were they armed?" Estel nodded carefully. "It seemed to me they were armed for more than a hunting trip." The men in the tavern grumbled uneasily. "Perhaps we should tell Meonin,"one said. The other men nodded in agreement. The helpful blacksmith leaned over. "The village leader," he whispered in Estel's ear. "You should come with us, stranger," said the tall man. "Perhaps you can tell him more." Estel nodded at the man. "I would be happy to," he said, and followed them out of the tavern.

The three elves were stealthily following the large group. The group was composed of about thirty men, and all of them looked as though they were hired thugs. They fairly clanked with weapons, and were on high alert wherever they went. They also carried chains with them. All three of the elves could at least agree that these men were not good news. Despite their efforts, the elves were able to follow the men with little effort, though Elladan fretted over Estel most of the time. It was dusk, and as the group set up camp, so did the elves. Elrohir was trying to calm Elladan, but with little success. "Estel will be fine," he repeated again and again. "After all, we taught him." Legolas had climbed into a nearby tree, and was watching the men from above. After a few moments, he came down. "There are more things in these woods than unsavory men," was his ominous statement. Elladan looked worriedly at Legolas. "Like what?" "Wolves," Legolas answered. "They will not attack a group the size of the men's, but we will make an easier target. And they are not ordinary wolves." The elves all looked around. "The world is uneasy lately," Elrohir finally said. "Things that should not be here are happening again." Elladan did not respond, but simply began to check his weapons. Legolas and Elrohir began to do the same, as the elves' hearing picked up the sound of padding footsteps. Swords were drawn with a soft hiss, and Legolas put an arrow to string. As the first pair of eyes appeared, Legolas' arrowed hissed towards the wolf.

**I love cliffhangers. They're so..hangy? Anyways, read and review so I can finish this thing!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note**: I am such a horrible person! I hate people who never update- _and it turns out I'm one of them._ *gasp!* I hate myself….. and by the way, this story still isn't finished, though I am going to try and post as many chapters as possible within the next week. And I am appalled at the lack of reviews! So **plleeeeaaaasssseee review!**

**Characters:** Your favorite elves and human of course!

**Plot: **"But when Estel was only twenty years of age, it chanced that he returned to Rivendell after great deeds in the company of the sons of Elrond…" (Appendix A) A simple hunting trip with Legolas and his brothers results in more than Estel thought was possible…

THE BEGINNINGS OF HOPE (Chapter Four)

Estel was confused. The men from the tavern had come to Meonin's large house, and Estel had told him what he had seen, but Meonin seemed hesitant to do much. It seemed obvious to Estel that these men were threating, and even if they weren't, they should at least prepare the village. But Meonin seemed to be listening more to Soren, the suspicious man who had sat next to Estel. Soren was convinced that Estel was telling a story in order to get the men out of town and rob the place. Estel had told them that all they had to do was post more men on the gate, which many of the men had agreed to, but Soren continued to argue against it. Despite the fact that he was human, Estel couldn't help but think as his brothers did. _Men…_ Only in the men's world could they delay so much over the simplest things. Although stubborn elves could be extremely infuriating…

The men continued their loud debate, and Estel began to wonder if he could slip out of the village without attracting attention. His discarded that thought quickly, deciding ironically that it would be best not to arouse suspicion in every village he visited. As the debate continued, Estel cleared his throat uncomfortably. The men in the room turned to looked at him.

"I feel the need to remind you that by tomorrow morning, these men may be here, and this continued discussion is not helping," he said gently.

Emmet the butcher blinked in surprise at the young man's authoritative tone.

Meonin turned to Soren. "How about this," he said in his deep voice. "We place more guards on the gate in order to make sure that these men mean no harm, and we place this young stranger—Estel, is that his name?—in a prison cell for the night, in order to be sure that he will not cause any trouble, though we have no reason to believe he would."

Estel blinked at this turn of events. It was a scenario that certainly seemed to satisfy everyone besides himself. Only Soren still grumbled quietly under his breath.

Meonin turned to Estel. "Would you be willing to spend a night in one of our cells? Admittedly, it is not as comfortable as the inn, but it is as good, if not better, then spending a night outdoors. You would be free to go as soon as these men have passed by."

Estel looked at the man. It seemed as the best course of action for all involved, though he was still uneasy. If the men actually meant harm to the village, he wished to help. And if he was not out of the village by morn, his brothers and Legolas may get worried. Meonin shifted uneasily under the young man's thoughtful gaze.

Estel finally bowed his head. "I would be amiable to this decision," he said finally. "I would like to see if my horse is settled for the night first though, as I worked him hard today in order to reach your village in time."

Meonin nodded, having the decency to at least show some shame. "We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience. Of course you may see to your horse." Meonin nodded to Emmet and the tall man from the tavern. "They will escort you to where you will stay tonight after you are finished."

The tall man stepped forward. "I am Morn, the village tanner," he said with a friendly smile. "It is good to meet you—officially."

Estel smiled at the friendly man as they left the village leader's house. The three of them walked quickly across the darkened street towards the tavern stables. They entered into the stables, and Windfeather softly whinnied a greeting.

"He is a beautiful stallion," Morn said in wonder. Emmet nodded appreciatively.

Estel began to speak softly to the horse in Elvish, under the pretense of taking off the saddle. "If my brothers come near, tell them I am safe." The horse snorted his agreement, and Estel buried his face in his horse's mane.

Emmet patted Estel on the back. "Come, let us go, so we may go up to the gate instead of participating in this foolishness."

Estel smiled gratefully at the man's support as they began to walk down the street. "It is only natural for people to be suspicious of a stranger," he said with and understanding smile.

"Aye, but Soren just enjoys being the voice of dissent," Morn said with a rumble of anger in his voice. They stopped at the small prison building. "I am afraid we must ask you to part with your weapons," Emmet said quietly.

"Of course," Estel answered, though uneasiness rippled through him. He handed them his bow, sword, and numerous hunting knives before following them into a small cell. It was bare and not well kept, though at least it was not wet. Estel walked into the cell, hearing the barred door lock behind him. The two men nodded to him as they left, and Estel slid to a heap on the ground. How did he end up weaponless in a jail cell with unsavory men heading towards the village in such a short time? No matter—he was sure to be out of here in no time, and Legolas and the twins would laugh at his unluckiness.

Legolas and the twins were not having a good time. They had been fighting the wolves for the past fifteen minutes, and Elladan was worried that despite their deaf ears, the group of men might begin to hear the sound of battle. The wolves were howling as they fought, and though the elves were winning, the wolves were still determined to finish the hunt. All three of the elves had acquired scratches and wounds, with Legolas as the worst. He had acquired a deep bite wound in his side after his bow had snapped in half. He was now fighting with the two hunting knives his father had given him for the trip.

"I suppose this is simply another example of our unluckiness," Elrohir called as his plunged his sword into the back of the nearest wolf.

Elladan gave a breathless laugh. "The only time we don't go looking for trouble, and we get attacked by wolves and lose Estel in a human village- all from trying to do a good deed!"

Legolas grunted at this. "Next time, don't drag me into this!" he said cheerfully, trying not to let his pain through in his voice. "Last one!" Legolas called, as the last, (and subsequently largest) wolf stalked forward. Elrohir grinned. "This one is mine!" he called back, and with one throw of his dagger the last wolf keeled over.

Legolas sat on the ground with a sigh. "Are you all right, tithen pen?" asked Elladan in concern. Legolas struggled to catch his breath. His health was not important at the moment. "Listen!" he called quietly. Elladan pressed his ear to the ground. "Footsteps—coming from the men's camp. They have heard us, and are nearly here." The elves quickly gathered their weapons as the sound of feet grew louder. "Perhaps they are here to offer assistance?" Elrohir said feebly. The other two turned and glared at him. "It was worth a try," he muttered quietly. Elladan sighed. "Here we go again" Within moments, the three battered elves were surrounded by about twenty men.

**Another cliffhanger- they make me happy, in case you hadn't noticed. What happens next will probably not surprise you though- but who knows? :) Review Review Review! Yell at me for all I care- just review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note**: Sorry if this chapter is a little wrong—I wasn't quite sure where to end it. But here's some action/ stuff happening! It's not really angst filled—I'm more of a 'let's joke in the middle of a horrible situation!' kind of writer, so sorry if I disappoint you.

**Characters:** Your favorite elves and human of course!

**Plot: **"But when Estel was only twenty years of age, it chanced that he returned to Rivendell after great deeds in the company of the sons of Elrond…" (Appendix A) A simple hunting trip with Legolas and his brothers results in more than Estel thought was possible…

THE BEGINNINGS OF HOPE (Chapter 6)

The men and elves eyed each other warily, until the men's leader stepped forward. Legolas immediately took a dislike to him. He was tall with black hair and gray eyes that glittered with malice. "What have we here?" the man asked quietly, in a voice Legolas was sure he thought of as menacing. "Three injured elves, a- wandering past the camp of a slave trader. Surely this is an unexpected windfall."

The twins exchanged a look. There should not have been any slave trading this far into the center of middle earth. Legolas fervently wished his bow had not been broken. As the leader stepped forward, his men stepped forward also, bringing their circle in tighter. They had obviously done this before.

Legolas glanced at the twins. The slave traders may have captured unwary travelers before, but they had assuredly not attacked elves before. They would soon learn it was not worth the effort. With an imperceptible nod, the three attacked the men nearest to them, despite the fact that they were severely outnumbered. With a cry, Legolas threw one of his knives at the man nearest to him. The man choked and fell, only to be immediately replaced by another. This one threw a small sliver of wood, about half the size of an arrow, and it pierced Legolas in the chest. He saw similar objects embedded in Elrohir and Elladan.

Legolas frowned. They were most likely covered in some sort of human drug, and though many herbs did not affect elves, certain herbs did. It soon became apparent that this was the sort of drug that affected elves as Elladan, who had three of these darts embedded in his tired form, sank to his knees. Elrohir immediately ran towards his brother, lithely dodging every arrow shot at him. Legolas turned towards the brothers in with a small amount of panic, but his dulled senses missed the hilt of a sword heading towards his head. It hit him with a loud thunk, and Legolas fell to the ground senseless.

It hurt. The dull pain in his head throbbed with each heartbeat. Legolas could hear men's voices surrounding him as he gradually came into consciousness. Why had he been sleeping with his eyes closed? And why did his head hurt so much? Warily, he opened his eyes just a crack. He was lying inside a wooden wagon, being pulled through the woods. His hands were chained together in front of him, and a long loop of chain was attached to the wagon, causing him to lean on the side. He could feel a heaviness around his neck and ankles, and assumed they were chained as well. The traders had caught them.

A small surge of panic rippled through him. Where were Elladan and Elrohir? Legolas opened his eyes fully and saw Elladan leaning against the opposite side of the wagon, looking at him with worry in his eyes. Elladan's expression changed to relief as he saw Legolas's eyes open. Legolas tried to give him a reassuring smile, but could not help the small moan that escaped his lips as his head throbbed once more. At the noise, the man driving the wagon stopped, as did all the others nearby. Legolas could see Elrohir among the group, being forced to walk behind the wagon.

The leader stepped forward once more. "Good, you are awake," the man said in an indifferent tone. "We do not have time now, so your little friends will explain the rules of your new life to you—and the punishments that come with disobeying." The slave traders continued forward once more.

Elladan turned to Legolas. "It seems we are in a bit of a situation," he said lightly. Legolas snorted at the understatement. "The malicious looking man over there asked me to tell you that the only rules seem to be this: do as they say, and do not talk."

"That seems fairly obvious," Legolas said in his driest tone. "And punishments?"

Elladan looked down. "There is a man with a whip over there; I am sure you will know what that is for." Legolas nodded grimly. Elladan shifted slightly in the seat and Legolas noticed a small strip of blue ribbon tied to his collar. "What is that for?" he asked curiously, keeping his tone as low as possible. Elladan bit his lip. "So they can tell me and 'Ro apart."

Legolas couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped his lips. "To bad Elrond did not think of that!"

"Oi!" said the nearest man. "No talking!" His whip lashed out, catching Legolas on the upper part of his back. Legolas stiffened at the hot edge of pain, and looked at Elladan with anger in his eyes. The man would definitely pay for that.

Rumble…rumble rumble rumble…. Estel sighed and looked down at his growling stomach. He had not eaten since afternoon of the day before, and his stomach felt as though it was eating itself. It was now mid-morning, and Estel hoped that someone would remember him long enough to at least give him some water.

As he waited patiently, a small boy came into the cell area, carrying a basket of fruit. He nervously slid it through the larger than normal gap in the bars and took a deep breath. Estel looked at him in amusement. The boy seemed terrified of him. The boy took another deep breath and said "M-master Emmet bid me to bring you fruit and tell y-you that the group of men seem to be slavers. H-he says they will be at the gate soon." The boy turned and scampered away.

Estel thoughtfully reached for the fruit. He wasn't exactly surprised that these men were slavers, but he began to worry about his brothers. They should have tried to contact him by now. Surely they hadn't been caught by the slavers—they were far too careful for that—but Estel could think of no reason as to why they had not contacted him. Estel frowned and edged closer to the bars of the cell. If anything happened, he wanted to be able to escape as soon as possible.

The distant sound of metal clanging against metal startled him out of his thoughts. It seemed as though the slavers were attacking the village! Why would they attack an innocent village when they could simply steal travelers off the road? He waited in agony until the noises simply stopped. What was going on? His answer came in the form of Soren running into the small prison. "What has happened?" asked Estel as he stood to his feet. Soren did not answer, but instead pushed his sword through the bars of the cell and pressed it against Estel's throat with a smirk on his face. Estel took a small step back but was unable to move back further.

The man smiled. "It seems as though the village leader has unfortunately died during the assault, and my slave trader friends have taken over. So, by happy circumstance, I am now the leader of this village, which will soon become the hub of the slave trading world."

Estel looked at the man in disbelief. "You would sell your own people?"

Soren frowned. "No, I would be a leader of my people, at least until they reach their new masters." Soren unlocked the cell, keeping his sword to Estel's throat the entire time. Estel winced as the man grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, placing the sword at his back. "Unfortunately, you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and so will join the villagers in this…adventure," he said icily, without a hint of regret in his voice.

Soren forced him to walk through the village as women and children were rounded up by the men. The men were ruthless, pushing and shoving the women into a large building at the end. Small sobs and screams split the air as mothers were separated from their children, and Estel could not hold back the anger surging through him. "Monster!" he hissed at the man. Soren just pushed him forward into the waiting arms of one of the largest men. The man quickly chained his hands in front of him and pushed him into a smaller building that held only men. He was shoved to the floor next to Morn, the tanner, and his ankles were chained together and to the people next to him. Then all was silent.

**That was a little fast-paced, wasn't it? I wan't sure if I should go more in depth with the fighting, but I have never been good when it comes to describing battles. They're captured by slave traders! Don't worry, they'll escape-maybe... and if they do, you know for sure that they'll get into trouble!**

**Review Review Review Review (i'm infiltraiting your mind..) Review Review Review**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note**: So…. I obviously haven't updated in a loooong time. I do apologize (I hate people who don't update!) but I was a little disheartened by the lack of reviews (hint hint). I also actually finished my Chronicles of Narnia fanfic (it's pretty good too!) and I am close to finishing this one. Just a warning—this story will be longer than I expected.

**Characters:** Your favorite elves and human of course!

**Plot: **"But when Estel was only twenty years of age, it chanced that he returned to Rivendell after great deeds in the company of the sons of Elrond…" (Appendix A) A simple hunting trip with Legolas and his brothers results in more than Estel thought was possible…

THE BEGINNINGS OF HOPE (Chapter 7)

"Morn?" Estel whispered tentatively. The tall tanner sat with his head down, despair etched onto his face. "We trusted him," Morn whispered. "We all disliked him, but we trusted him." A low rumble of agreement went through the twenty-odd men in the room. "And now our families are to be separated, and our village destroyed."

"You could not have known," Estel whispered, his voice echoing slightly in the dark room. "He had obviously been planning this for a long time."

Morn just looked at Estel. "I am sorry you were dragged into this, young stranger."

Estel shook his head fiercely. "It is no matter—they most likely would have found me on the road anyway."

All the men looked towards the door as they heard a loud commotion outside. A whip cracked and there was a small cry of pain. "Stop resisting, stupid elf, or your brother will pay the price!" Estel whipped his head towards the door with a mixture of fear and hope. Legolas and the twins were here, but it seemed as though they had been caught. The other men in the room were shifting uneasily.

"Elves…" one of the men muttered under his breath. It sounded almost like a curse. Estel frowned. He had forgotten the prejudices of humans for the moment. He hoped these prejudices would not interfere with the escape attempt that was sure to come.

The door creaked open, and three tall slender figures were pushed inside. All the men chained to the wall immediately shifted back as the elves were pushed to the wall and the chains on their neck tied to hooks on the wall. The men looked at the three figures with something akin to fear. Estel was chained to the opposite wall and at the opposite end of the room, and was wondering how to get his brother's attention. Estel could see Legolas shifting quietly in discomfort, and heard him mutter under his breath in Elvish "This is entirely your fault." The men nearby froze at the sound of his light elven voice.

"At least Estel is most likely safe," said Elladan in the same language. Estel choose that moment to clear his throat uncomfortably. All three elves turned their heads towards the familiar noise. Emmet and Morn looked at him also, concern on their faces. Estel ignored them, focusing instead on his brother's faces. "Estel?" Elrohir asked. As soon as Elrohir said his name, every face in the room turned to look at Estel. He shifted uncomfortably under their gazes and said in Elvish, "It's somewhat of a long story, as I guess your story is."

"Ai, Estel," Legolas said with a sigh. Morn was looking at Estel with a mix of respect and fear in his eyes. "Do you know these…elves?" Morn asked quietly, seeming to speak for the entire group. Estel sighed. "Aye, I have the misfortune of knowing them quite well," he said in Common.

"Misfortune!" Elrohir cried. "You are lucky the Valar blessed you with brothers such as Elladan and I!"

Estel snorted "Aye, extremely blessed to have brothers and a friend who seem to run into every conceivable problem." Estel could hear the men gasp at the word 'brothers' but he ignored them.

Legolas raised an eyebrow. "It seems you have inherited your brothers' talent." Emmet interrupted the conversation. Until that moment, Estel had not realized the man was there. "Young man, are you saying these creatures are your brothers?"

"Only two of them," was Estel's reply. The men looked at him in disbelief. Estel decided these men deserved at least some sort of explanation. "They are my adopted brothers. They planned to follow the slavers while I warned your village. Obviously our plan went a bit awry."

"A bit!" Elladan countered. "You weren't the one who got attacked by vicious wolves." Estel immediately looked concerned. "Were any of you hurt?"

"Nothing that won't heal in a day or two," Elladan said dismissively. "The important thing is to escape without serious injury." Silence met this proclamation. One of the village men piped up with a look of disbelief on his face. "You really think you can escape these men?" he asked.

"As you could most likely see that there are only around twenty men or so in the group outside," Legolas said, not unkindly. "I am sure that men of your talents have the ability to fight, and you greatly outnumber the men. Escape will be no small matter, but it is indeed possible for all of us." The man quieted at the tone in the young prince's voice.

"Yes, but we also happen to be chained to a wall. Unless you can magic yourselves out?" This man's voice rose with hope towards the end. Elrohir let out a quiet peal of laughter that sounded like small bells ringing. "Humans," he said quietly in Elvish. Ellladan simply ignored the last comment. "I suppose you were searched for weapons before being placed here, Estel," he said in his native tongue.

"I do not think they believed that a man in a prison cell would have any weapons," Estel replied, trying to hide the amusement in his voice. "However, I still retain my small boot knife."

"Prison?" Legolas asked. "You _have_ inherited their bad luck." Elladan remained focused. "Do you think you could throw the knife to me so we may pick the locks? I know that you were never good at breaking in—or out." Estel grinned, remembering the moments as a small child locked in his room trying vainly to escape without Elrond hearing him. He shifted slightly, reaching for his boot knife while trying to avoid making too much noise.

"What is happening?" he heard Morn ask quietly. Estel had forgotten that the men could not understand their conversation. Estel raised his voice just enough so that all the men could hear. "I have a small boot knife that I am going to throw to my friends. Hopefully, they can pick their locks and begin to unchain us all." Men sitting next to the elves quickly moved as far away as possible. Estel felt hurt for a second- it was not as though he was going to hit them. But he kept moving, and pulled his knife from boot. He threw it in one swift movement, his chains rattling, and it thudded into the wall next to Legolas' ear.

Moving with the strength of an elf, Legolas pulled the knife free and began to twist it into the locks. Estel heard Legolas quietly ask for a pin from Elladan's braid and grinned. So that was how he escaped from his father's dungeons! Thurandil had thrown Legolas into the dungeons once, deciding the elfling needed to be taught a lesson, and by morning Legolas was sleeping in his own bed. At that moment , Estel was extremely grateful to Thurandil.

Within a few moments, there was a soft plink as the chain dropped to the ground. Legolas then proceeded to free himself and the twins within the minute. Then he paused, as though unsure. Elladan took the lead. "Legolas, you should continue to free the men, while Elrohir and I find weapons for them and for us." Legolas nodded swiftly and moved to the man next in the line. The man flinched back almost imperceptibly as the Elf approached. Leoglas ignored the movement and had the man free within seconds. Elrohir and Elladan quickly slipped through the back door without a noise.

Estel decided now was probably a good time to reassure the men and make a plan. "Perhaps the first few men who are free should guard the door against any of the slavers who decide to check on their captives. My brothers are going to get weapons for us all, and once they are back we can make a plan of attack." The men readily agreed, more eager to follow the words of a man then the directions of the elves. Within fifteen minutes, Legolas had every man free of his bonds, though Elladan and Elrohir were still not back. "

Estel," Legolas said quietly. "I believe that perhaps it would be better if you took charge of these men."

"Me?" Estel exclaimed quietly, taken aback. "But I am only a man, and a young one at that."

Legolas nodded. "That is precisely why you must lead them. They need someone to look up too, and as a friend of elves, you will carry much weight and respect. They will not trust the elves though; we are too foreign and suspicious to them. And you carry more strength then you know, young one."

Estel looked down. What did Legolas mean by that? But at that moment, the twins slipped back in, each carrying an armful of swords. The men all stepped forward, and then stopped, as though asking permission. Estel nodded at them and each quickly armed himself. Estel frowned. Apparently he was quickly becoming their leader whether he wanted to or not. Estel retrieved his short sword and dagger, and then stopped uncertainly. Did they expect him to make a speech or some such thing? If they did, they would be sorely disappointed.

But Emmet and Morn simply stepped forward, and Morn asked quietly, with a nod in the elves direction, "So what is the plan, stranger?"

Estel glanced quickly at his brothers before answering. "My friends and I will attack first, having experience in matters such as these. During that time, it would likely be best if you send a few of your men to set the women and children free, in case of any trouble. We want only to drive these men out and perhaps injure them, so they will learn not to do such a thing again. Hopefully, this will be easy and quick."

Elladan stepped forward. "Also, beware of the men who have throwing darts. They look like harmless slivers of wood, but they are covered in a poison that will cause extreme weakness for a good amount of time." The men nodded seriously. Estel spoke once more. "We will let you organize your men while we scout, and on our signal you may come and attack." Morn gave a serious nod to his new friend. "Stay safe," he said quietly. Estel smiled at the older man. "May the Valar watch over you." The three elves and one man crept out from the small room.

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